The new faces of the erotic market and the limits of sexuality: violence, gender and the contemporary eroticisms

Abstract

The main purpose of this project is to deepen the knowledge in the field of Anthropology and Gender Studies through research of new faces of contemporary erotic market and evaluate their effect in terms of changes or reproduction of gender and sexuality related norms. As specific objectives, the project defines: 1) to broaden the discussion on erotic market (production, marketing and consumption of erotic objects), and identify a) their connections with the market whose operation involves the production of new segments from the supply and use by consumers of erotic products, b) to think about the connections of the new faces of the erotic market which could be called the limits of sexuality, that is, the expansion or restriction of sexual normative issues when creating greater areas of tolerance and new limits are being imposed, as well as to investigate among these sexual experiences the articulation of elements related to what is considered abusive and what is now classified as normal, 2) to consider the effects of the erotic market regarding the limits that tend to expand or constrain choices and sexual experiences, through the place where differences of gender, class, age and race (indicative of distinct positions of power) and transgression occupy in segments of this market, and how this place addresses the production of bodies and the relationship between bodies and people; 3) to investigate one niche of this market, related to the sadomasochistic practices, which is strategic for the research in the sense that it lays close to the boundaries between pleasure, pain, embarrassment and consent, 4) to compare the local effects of the recent expansion of the erotic market in a transnational perspective, establishing a research network with Lisbon and Barcelona and compare it with data from São Paulo. (AU)